The Nexus 7 tablet was unveiled today at the Google I/O Conference. As previously reported, the device was built by Asus and comes with a 7-inch 1,280-by-800 HD display. According to Google, it's running the Tegra 3 processor and has a front-facing camera for video chatting. Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as Bluetooth and near-field communication support are also included in the device.

Rumors had been swirling for months that Google would offer the tablet. Earlier this morning, the company mistakenly let slip a banner image of the device on its Google Play store.

With the announcement, Google is making a play for a piece of a hard-fought market where its entry will compete against Amazon.com's Kindle Fire -- which the Nexus 7 approximates in size and price -- as well as Apple's iPad.

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Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
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